Two New Traditional Catholic Sisterhoods in Formation

1. The Facebook page of the Institute of the Good Shepherd's (IBP) apostolate in Colombia reports on a new Traditional Catholic community in formation, the Esclavas Reparadoras de la Sagrada Familia:

The first two members received their novitiate uniform (not yet a "habit") on the Feast of St. Joseph, March 19, 2015. The community is being formed with the help of the IBP. 


2. The Catholic Exponent of the Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio reported last month on the launching of the Missionary Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, formed initially by three women under the guidance of the FSSP pastor of their (personal) parish, Queen of the Holy Rosary in Vienna, OH.

VIENNA – With the blessing of Bishop George V. Murry, S.J., a small group of women is preparing to launch the Missionary Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi here.The three, including superior Mother Mary Francis and two candidates, have been approved as a private association of the faithful, a group who come together for ministry and who hope to, over time, develop into a diocesan religious institute of sisters.

Year of the Consecrated Life - I: Some Statistics and Observations.The Accelerated Decline of Women Religious

Reunion of Catalan Abbesses and Religious Superiors, Feb. 9, 2015. Source. 

H/t La Cigüeña de la Torre.

February 2 was instituted in 1997 by Pope John Paul II as the world day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life, and it was on this day, just three weeks ago, that Pope Francis opened the "Year of Consecrated Life" (although it already started on November 30 last year). It is the latest in a long string of "special years" proclaimed by the Popes - the Year of the Rosary (2002-2003), the Year of the Eucharist (2004-2005), the Year of St. Paul (2008-2009), the Year for Priests (2009-2010), and finally, the Year of Faith (2012-2013), itself the second such year to be declared after Vatican II (the first was in 1967-1968). 

Surely we are not alone in observing that the current "Year of Consecrated Life" is low-key compared to its predecessors? There is, apparently, very little talk about it, very little excitement. Perhaps it is weariness over "special years"? Perhaps it is because of the very real barrenness and exhaustion in much of Catholic religious life, despite the propaganda in official statements and in much of the "establishment" Catholic media and blogosphere? There are many signs of hope when it comes to religious life (we hope to write more about these soon) but in the immediate term the main trend in Catholic consecrated life will continue to be that of decline. 

According to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (source - see "World Data over Time"), in 2012 the total number of female consecrated religious in the Catholic world was 705,529 for a reported (nominal) Catholic population of 1.229 billion. Only two years before, in 2010 there were 721,935. In 2000 there were 801,185. In 1970 there were 1,004,304 female religious for a reported Catholic population of 653.6 million. Overall, there has been a reduction by nearly a hundred thousand since the "Great Jubilee" that was meant to be the celebration of the "New Springtime" / "New Pentecost" in the Church.

Franciscan Minister General to Order: We're broke, due to questionable financial activities of the recent past

From the letter of the Franciscan Minister General, Brother Michael Perry, OFM:

In an effort to live as children of the light, the General Definitorium and I wish to bring to light a grave situation in which the General Curia of the Order now finds itself. The matter involves our financial stability and the patrimony of the Order. While our first concern has and remains verifying the nature, extent, and impact of what has occurred, we also recognize the significant role that external actors, people who are not members of the Order, have played in creating this grave situation.

"Consecrated Life" - the Pope's Apostolic Letter, viewed by a French commentator

Rogation procession at the Pierre-qui-vire Abbey in the pre-conciliar years.

I ended up deciding to read up the "Apostolic Letter of Pope Francis to all consecrated people on the occasion of the Year of the Consecrated Life," that started on the first Sunday in Advent.

DECREE ON CONDITIONS FOR PLENARY INDULGENCES - During the Year of the Consecrated Life

DECREE

URBIS ET ORBIS

by which are established the works to be accomplished in order to obtain the gift of Indulgences on the occasion of the Year of the Consecrated Life

The Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life having requested to this Apostolic Penitentiary to have duly determined the conditions to obtain the gift of Indulgences that the Holy Father Francis, on the occasion of the imminent Year of the Consecrated Life, intends to widen for the renewal of religious institutes, always with the utmost fidelity to the charism of the Founder, and in order to offer to the faithful of the whole world a joyful occasion to confirm Faith, Hope, and Charity in communion with the Holy Roman Church, under the most special mandate of the Roman Pontiff, this Apostolic Penitentiary willingly grants Plenary Indulgence, under the usual conditions (Sacramental confession, eucharistic communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father), to all the single members of the institutes of consecrated life, and to the other faithful truly contrite and moved by the spirit of charity, to be obtained from the First Sunday in Advent of the current year [November 30, 2014] up to February 2, 2016, the day on which the Year of the Consecrated Life will be solemnly concluded, that can be also applied as suffrage for the souls in Purgatory: